James Griffen is sixteen, with a bad heart. HeÂs on the hospital waiting list for a valve replacement. Meanwhile his physical activities are seriously curtailed so he gets about on his dead fatherÂs Vespa  his lifeline  and hangs out at the local video store with misfit Marlene. HeÂs considered a nerd at school but even before the Vespa, he was never the seriously sporty or macho type. By contrast, his younger brother Ryan is tough and worldly-wise with a smart mouth. Reflective, funny, self-deprecating James falls for the Âhottest chick in school  whoÂs also the unlikeliest catch. Roxy is more like Ryan: cool, streetwise and angry. But James is loyal in his affections and in spite of the thrashing his heart gets in the pursuit, he and Roxy form an odd bond, and James is the one who hangs in there when things turn nasty. ThereÂs a street-fighting crisis, a near-death, and James finally gets his operation. Told in smart, nifty prose by a veteran writer, this is a gentle story with tough moments, a more-or-less happy ending, and real heart-appeal for 12 to 15-year-olds. Storylines Notable Young Adult Fiction 2010. First published February 2008.
